#Newsletter
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Caring for Climate Change
What it means to take action as the earth undergoes severe trials. Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness]. (30:41) While everyone around the world has seen or felt the effects of climate change, the most vulnerable are people living in the world’s poorest countries. The majority of people living in Africa or Asia for example, depend on agricultural and natural resources in order to survive. By relying on farming or hunting and gathering to eat and…
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Our Fight Against Global Floods
Multiple Regions around the are experiencing catastrophic flooding. Flooding like so many natural disasters rearranges lives violently. It can turn an evening into the most devastating experience of our time on earth. And it can turn the morning into a seemingly never-ending nightmare. Hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have been displaced due to massive floods caused by torrential rains. The floods have consumed thousands of homes altogether and even taken the lives of community members. Sudan Over 99 people have fallen victim to flooding in Sudan as the final death toll is till being assessed. The catastrophe has affected 500,000 people leaving countless…
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Sustained Solidarity: Why We can’t Let this Moment Fade
Racism is consistent. Our communities have to be consistent in fighting it. What We know If you are Black in America, fatigue is a luxury. Rest of mind, body, and soul can’t be weighed in gold. Leisure time is to be savored, vacations guarded. The long held tradition of subjugating Black people by lethal and legal force makes all of the above priceless. When Sandra Bland was taken, there was no time for fatigue. When Breonna Taylor was taken, it was still no time for fatigue. Though many media outlets have since move on from the Murder of George Floyd and the resulting uprisings, the compassion and support needed to…
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Water for Life
Innovation in sustainability makes water available to countless families Water is a human right. We believe that in a world where balance is present, no one should go without it. When it is absent, made scarce, and altogether restricted by man or nature it causes widespread devastation. For those of us who enjoy the privilege of uninterrupted water access, we can forget easily how the day-to-day difficulty of purifying, finding, and guarding water can be. Making water accessible to communities across the world has remained a priority to IRUSA because there are few substantial changes we can make in the lives of the families we serve without it. In Kenya,…
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IRUSA Launches Partnership with ShariaWiz
Innovative service makes Islamic inheritance a pain free experience. A duty upon us all The Prophet Muhammad, ﷺ, said, “It is not permissible for any Muslim who has something to will to stay for two nights without having his last will and testament written and kept ready with him.” August is National Make-a-Will Month and we are taking this opportunity to encourage everyone to take care of their religious obligation of preparing an Islamic will. A partnership that makes sense Islamic Relief USA has partnered with Shariawiz.com, a do-it-yourself, easy, and affordable platform that has an abundance of information about Islamic wills and a scholar-certified Islamic Inheritance Calculator. Shariawiz is the premier…
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Eyes on Yemen: Preventing a compounded Crisis
COVID-19 looms over Yemen As we in the Western world grapple with the realities of just how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected our lives. It can be easy to overlook the fact that we may have access to resources that lessen its impact. Some of us have seen this pandemic out, safe in the knowledge that we are protected by a functioning health care system as well as other vital services. Unfortunately, that is not the case for countless brothers and sisters all over the world. In particular, at this point in time, for brothers and sisters in Yemen. Dubbed by many as “The World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis,” the situation…
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From Farm to Family: Your Qurbani is an Act of Love
It’s here! It only seems like yesterday we were celebrating Eid-al-Fitr, and fast approaching in the not too distant future is Eid-al-Adha. This truly is a special time of year, for everyone involved, so it’s time to get prepared. The blessings are around the corner. Which means it’s time to start thinking about Qurbani. The act of Qurbani is a time-honoured tradition of significant importance and holds a deep meaning to all Muslims. Each year we sacrifice an animal to feed those in need, honoring the sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim made with his willingness to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismail, for Allah. The Qurbani sacrifice takes place during the Eid…
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A Grand Iftar We’ll Never Forget
Communities gather virtually to contribute to IRUSA’s emergency aid Islamic Relief USA held its first-ever “virtual” Grand Iftar on April 26. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the large in-person gathering was unable to take place at a hotel in the D.C.-area as it normally would. While the format was different, the program nonetheless provided viewers/guests an evening of enlightenment, reflection, and several opportunities to support various organization programs around the world. Projects in countries where Islamic Relief has a rather large footprint were highlighted, including Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen. Anwar Khan, president and cofounder of IRUSA, talked about the need to support immediate and long-term programs in Pakistan, particularly Balochistan and Rawalpindi,…
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A Green Ramadan begins with Water
See how water conservation will help us all in the future Water is the most valuable resource on earth. All living beings on earth need water to survive. Many people and industries continue wasteful habits, endangering the entire world. This Ramadan let us reflect about water and its importance. You have been fasting all day long, and just can’t wait for sunset so that you can drink and eat again. But what about those who do not have access to clean water? Let this Ramadan be a way of educating yourself and others about water 1) Water and the Quran: Water has been mentioned in the Quran on several occasions.…
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A Global Crisis Means A Global Response
IRUSA ramps up support to communities devastated by COVID-19 Millions of dollars’ worth of emergency assistance to more than 20 at-risk countries has been released by Islamic Relief (of which Islamic Relief USA is a part of) in a bid to stem the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, help those infected and support vulnerable communities that have been the hardest hit. I Thousands of hygiene kits containing essentials like hand sanitizer, surgical masks and thermometers have already been delivered to high-risk communities in places like Syria and Afghanistan where vital health infrastructure has crumbled due to conflict. In the coming week, more critical assistance such as ventilators, lab kits and…
